![[Previous Page]](../../images/prev.gif)
page 64
![[Next Page]](../../images/next.gif)
stranger find his way into the city of the heart, so that the
Incomparable Friend may come unto His own place--that is,
the effulgence of His Names and Attributes, not His Essence
(exalted is He), for that Peerless King hath been and will be
holy for everlasting above ascent or descent. Therefore today
"victory" neither hath been nor will be opposition to anyone,
nor strife with any person; but rather what is well-pleasing is
that the cities of [men's] hearts, which are under the dominion
of the hosts of selfishness and lust, should be subdued by the
sword of the Word, of Wisdom, and of Exhortation.
Everyone, then, who desireth "victory" must first subdue the
city of his own heart with the sword of spiritual truth and of the
Word, and must protect it from remembering aught beside
God: afterwards let him turn his regards towards the cities of
[others'] hearts. This is what is intended by "victory": sedition
hath never been nor is pleasing to God, and that which certain
ignorant persons formerly wrought was never approved. If ye
be slain for His good pleasure verily it is better for you than that
ye should slay. Today the friends of God must appear in such
fashion amidst [God's] servants that by their actions they may
lead all unto the pleasure of the Lord of Glory. I swear by the
Sun of the Horizon of Holiness that the friends of God never
have regarded nor will regard the earth or its transitory riches.
God hath ever regarded the hearts of [His] servants, and this
too is by reason of [His] most great favor, that perchance
mortal souls may be cleansed and sanctified from earthly states
and may attain unto everlasting places. But that Real King is in
Himself sufficient unto Himself [and independent] of all:
neither doth any advantage accrue to Him from the love of
contingent beings, nor doth any hurt befall Him from their
hatred. All earthly places appear through Him and unto Him
return, and God singly and alone abideth in His own place
which is holy above space and time, mention and utterance,
sign, description, and definition, height and depth. And none
knoweth this save Him and whosoever hath knowledge of the